Page end signaling device for typewriters



June 9, 1953 H. A. AULT PAGE END SIGNALING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed May 20, 1950 4 ORNEK Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATfi OFFICE PAGE END SIGNALING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITERS Harley A. Ault, Daytona Beach, Fla., assignor of one-halite Lloyd B. Campbell, San Francisco,

Calif.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a page end signaling device for typewriters, and refers more particularly to an attachment adapted to be mounted at the rear of th traveling carriage and in the path of a tab attached to a backing sheet, the tab finictioning to trip an actuating lever and render an audible signal operable with the movement of the carriage.

' There have been many types of typewriter attachments devised to indicate to the operator when'the lower margin of the sheet approaches the writing position. Indices have been placed on the platen, and electrical attachments have been mounted. within the carriage to be functionedby switches or tripping devices to indicate the approach of the lower end of the paper to the writing osition. Most of these attachments have been unsatisfactory because of the added expense and complications that they add to the typewriter, besides adding mechanism susceptible of getting out of order and failing to function properly with the feed and carriage mechanism.

The instant device seeks to avoid difficulties encountered in prior devices in that it constitutes a separate housing wherein all parts are con.- tained. This housing is placed at the rear of the traveling carriage, avoiding the possibility of interference with the mechanism of the machine. The signaling device isrendered operable by engagement of a marginal tab which is attached to a backing sheet placed beneath the paper that is to be used in the machine. This tab extends from the right hand marginal edge as the backing sheet is fed in the machine and is located at a position between its upper and lower edges, so that the tab will contact the operating lever of thesignaling device and move it to a position in the slot adjacent the arrow head'when the bottom line to be typed is in writing position.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, demountable attachment for signaling the page end in a typewriter.

Another object is to provide a device operated from a marginal tab on a backing sheet which operates a stop lever of the signaling attachment in such fashion as to transpose or shift the clapper of a bell from inoperable to operable posi tion.

A further object is to provide a page end signaling mechanism operable by a marginal tab attached to the edge of a backing sheet to produce an, audible signal throughout the typing of the bottom line of the page.

Other and further objects will appear from the description which. follows.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion or a typewriter with a signaling device embodying the invention attached to the rear of the traveling carriage.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a modified type of fastener for attaching the device to the typewriter carriage.

Referring to the drawings, at it is shown the upper portion of the traveling carriage horizontally movable upon the frame or a typewriter. In the carriage is mounted a platen l I rotatable by means of a knob 62. Beneath the platen is a paper table it. Paper to be typed isfed beneath the platen from the rear and is frictionally held against the bottom of the platen from below by means of a shoe, not shown in the drawings but extending the length of the platen and raised and lowered against the platen by means or" the paper release lever Id. The paper is directed over the top of the platen between the platen and platen scale i5 and rollers It mounted on the paper bail IT.

The page end signaling device comprises a housin It with a forward extension lBa whose sides are perforated with circular holes to fit upon the transverse tie rod is extending across the rear of the typewriter carriage. -Within the forward extension 8a of the housing is a flat spring 20 which fricticnally contacts the tie rod and holds the housing against lateral movement along the rod. In the event the machine lacks this transverse tie rod, the attachment may be mounted on the carriage by any other suitable type fastener. Within the housing and attached to its forward wall by a bolt 2!, is a bell 22. Dependin from an eye 23 located in the top of the housing is a clapper 24 suspended at the lower end'of a wire or stirrup 2 6a. Also pivoted within the housing at 25 is a lever 26 held in a forward position by means of a coil spring it. As an alternative fastening means for attaching the housing to the carriage there is provided a hook mem rear of the carriage by the removal of one or more of the screws which fasten its ends. The rod is then threaded through the holes in the forward extension l8a of the housing after which the rod is again fixedly attached to the carriage. Then the housing may be slid transversely along the tie rod to the desired position with respect to the right hand -marginal edge of the paper, as shown in Fig. 1. Frictional engagement of the spring 20 with the rod holds the housing in position after it has been properly located.

To the marginal edge of a backing sheet 29 is attached a tab 290.. This tab is located at a predetermined distance between the upper and lower edges of the sheet 29 to contact and move the lever 26 to the rear of the slot and adjacent the arrow head when the bottom line on the sheet is in writing position. Difierent sizes of backing sheets with the tabs properly located to establish the bottom line on the page are used according to the size of the sheet that is being typed. It is desirable to have the sheet size of the backing sheet correspond to the sheet 30 to be typed, although it is not required so long as the top edges of the backing sheet and typed sheet correspond and the tab is properly positioned at the marginal edge.

The backing sheet 29 and sheet to be typed after being placed together with their top edges in alignment are fed beneath the platen and sheet 30 is then typed in the normal manner from top to bottom until the tab 29a. reaches lever 26. To a certain extent the tab 29aitself will act as a visual signaling device since the operator will notice its approach toward the actuating lever 26 as the sheet is being typed. While the position of the tab at the margin of the sheet does not afford the positive effect obtained by the bell mechanism, it is of value in anticipating the lower margin of the sheet being typed. The paper gauge 3| which guides the left hand margin of the paper and backing sheet locates the two sheets on the platen so the right hand margins of the sheets advance along a path which keeps the tab 29a in alignment with lever 26. During the typing of the sheet, lever 26 is held in a forward position by spring 21, or it may be so pivoted that it normall swings to a forward position and when so located its lower end 26a rests against the supporting strip or wire 2411 holding the clapper in an inoperable position or out of striking relationship with the bell. Within the housing and behind the clapper is a layer of felt or other padding material 32 against which the clapper 24 rests when held out of striking relationship by the lower end of the lever. This pad also prevents clattering of the clapper against the metallic wall of the housing. As the paper and backing sheet advance through the machine, when the bottom line is in position to be typed, tab 29a has moved lever 26 rearwardly shifting the bottom end 26a of the lever away from supporting strip 24a of the clapper, so clapper 24 swings freely against the bell. Since the clapper is positioned at the side of the bell, it is actuated to ring the bell by the lateral momentum and stopping of the carriage, both in the left to right movement and in the reverse direction with the key strokes. Thus it will be seen that when the bottom line is reached the bell clapper is released and with every sidewise movement of the carriage along the bottom line the signal bell will tinkle, continually reminding the operator that the end of the page has been reached. In another respect the bell signal is novel. As a conventional signal on typewriters, when the, platen passes a certain position a bell will ring once and no more. The bell signal hereinbefore described alerts not only when the lower marginal line is reached, but continues throughout the last line typing. This signal is repeated if, intentional or otherwise, shift is made for an added line or lines. Because it is insistent and inescapable, the sound can be and preferably is subdued so it is neither confusing nor disturbing.

A red arrow on top of the housing l8, shown in Fig. 1, aimed substantially at the rear of the slot through which lever 26 moves, indicates the finish line in precise correlation with the final typed line or bottom line on the typewritten sheet. In

' other words, when the upper edge of the appreaching tab reaches the arrow, the final type line on the sheet is in writing position. The distance at any time between the tab and arrow shows the type space remaining on the page as accurately and almost as easily as if the page were in full view. The typed sheet and backing sheet are then removed from the machine and a fresh sheet inserted.

While a relatively simple arrangement in the form of a pivoted lever is shown to hold the clapper in an inoperable position and releaseit when the end of the sheet has been reached, it is contemplated that any type of stopping device could be used to shift the lever, raise it or lower it or hold it from swinging in the manner shown, it being essential only that the upper end of the stop member extend above the housing and in the path of the tab 29a.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

under the influence of changes in momentum oc-- curring during the sidewise shifting'ofthe carriage, and a pivoted lever operably associated with the clapper and positioned in the path of. the marginal tab whereby movement of the leverby the tab with the passage of the paper sheet. through the machine transposes the relationship of the signaling means and clapper from one of inoperability to operability.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the page end signaling device is enclosed in. stay.

a housing and attached to the transverse rod at the rear of the carriage.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 where-:.

in the page end signaling device is enclosed in a housing having a slotted opening at its top, the upper extremity of said pivoted lever extending through said slotted opening.

4. In a typewriter having a traveling carriage, a page end signaling device operable by a tab affixed at a predetermined location at the marginal edge of a carbon or backing sheet comprising a housing attached to the rear of the traveling carriage of the typewriter, a bell with a clapper in striking relationship with the housing, said clapper being mounted for free movement toward and from said bell under the influence of change in momentum occurring during the sidewise shiftin of the carriage, and a pivoted lever operatively associated with the clapper whose upper extremity extends through the top of the housing in the path of the marginal tabwhereby movement of the lever by the tab with the passage of the paper sheet through the typewriter transposes the relationship of the bell and clapper from one of inoperability to operability.

5. In a typewriting machine having a traveling carriage, a page end signaling device operable by a tab affixed at a predetermined location at the marginal edge of a carbon or backing sheet comprising a bell attached to the rear of the traveling carriage, a freely hinged clapper also mounted on said carriage adjacent said bell for free movement toward and from said bell, a movable barrier between said clapper and said bell normally preventing the clapper from striking the bell, and an arm connected with said barrier and lying in the path of the marginal tab whereby movement of the arm by the tabwith the passage of the paper sheet through the machine removes the barrier from between the bell and clapper.

6. The combination set forth in claim wherein the page end signaling device is enclosed in a housing and attached to the transverse stay rod at the rear of the carriage.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein the page end signaling device is enclosed in a housing having a slotted opening at its top, the upper extremity of said arm extending through said slotted opening.

8. A page end signaling device for use with a typewriter of the type having a traveling carriage and operable by a tab afiixed at a predetermined location at the marginal edge of a carbon or backing sheet comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on the traveling carriage, a bell with a clapper in striking relationship within the housing, said clapper being mounted for free movement toward and from said bell under the influence of change in momentum occurring duringsidewise shifting of the carriage, and a pivoted lever operatively associated with the clapper whose upper extremity extends through the top of the housing and is adapted to lie in the path of the marginal tab whereby movement of the lever by the tab with the passage of the paper sheet through the typewriter transposes the relationship of the bell and clapper from one of inoperability to operability.

9. A page end signaling device for use with a typewriter of the type having a traveling carriage and operable by a tab afiixed at a predetermined location at themarginal edge of a carbon or backing sheet comprising a support adapted to be mounted on the traveling carriage, an

audible signaling means carried by said support, a clapper mounted on said support adjacent said signaling means for free movement toward and from said signaling means under the influence of changes in momentum occurring during sidewise shifting of the carriage, and a pivoted lever also carried by said support and operably associated with said clapper, said lever having a portion thereof adapted to lie in the path of the marginal tab whereby movement of the lever by the tab with the passage of the paper sheet through the machine transposes the relationship of the signaling means and clapper from one of inoperability to operability.

HARLEY A. AULT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 506,345 Stanley Oct. 10, 1893 1,760,366 Marcellus May 27, 1930 1,941,224 Price Dec. 26, 1933 

